Claire and the Old Johnson House
by aims80
Summary: MAY COMPLETE LATER?!? NOT AS GOOD AS MY FIRST ONE! Claire and her family move to the country, and Claire learns that their new house could be haunted, and some strange things begin to happen! Please R&R.
1. The big move

[A/N. this story is set in Australia, in a fairly small country town called Alexandra, about two hours east of Melbourne. By Australian country town standards it's large enough, considering it has a hospital, schools, and a main street with the BASIC shops. But for city-dwellers, who rarely wander that far without a reason it's very small!]  
  
  
  
ONE:  
  
"And this is the main street." Mum explained as we drove through the town center. "See-there are a few shops here, so its not like we're stuck with a general store on it's own or something. And down there is the park. And up there is the hospital where I'm working. And over that way is your school."  
  
I frowned, and folded my arms across my chest. Okay so the main street was a little bigger than I had expected, but it was hardly Collins Street now was it? You could drive from one end of the main street to the other in a matter of minutes. And there was no "Sportsgirl" or "Just Jeans" there-just the basic shops like a newsagent, chemist, supermarket, pub, a couple of small clothing shops and a few stores which seemed to have everything. I didn't think that I'd be able to make a day of shopping like I did back home! I noticed that further down the main street there was a tourist information map, and the police station.  
  
Mum noticed my silence as we turned off the main street and onto the beginning of a highway.  
  
"Well, don't you at least think it's pretty?" she asked, her voice a little softer than usual. I knew that the move here had been a big decision for her, but she decided that after years of living in the city the country would be nice for a change. My Dad's a truck driver and is only home on and off, so it didn't really bother him where we lived. He's always put Mum and her career as a surgeon first. He was currently on the way back from Sydney, and would be arriving probably the next afternoon. As we drove out of the town and towards our new place I noticed the houses get fewer and farer between.  
  
"Yes Mum it's pretty." I said. I had to admit the place did have it's own charm! The thing was simply that I was used to the city-we'd lived only a few minutes out of it in a suburb called Richmond. We were right near all the shopping outlets, and a five-minute tram ride took us into the center of town! And now here I was about an hour and a half away from the city outskirts, in a tiny town who had only a few hundred people living in and around it, in the middle of nowhere. Even though I'd promised Dad I'd be open to the whole thing I couldn't help but be somewhat skeptical.  
  
"Isn't the house perfect? Just perfect?" Mum asked me when we drove up the long driveway, which lead from the highway to our new home. On either side of the house were far stretching paddocks, dotted with the occasional cow grazing, and a few sparse trees. Our house itself owned two of these paddocks, but according to the real-estate agent they'd been leased out to a farmer for so long he thought he owned them, and any attempt on our part to ask him to leave would be like waving a red flag in front of a bull. In the distance I saw another house-my next door neighbor!  
  
"Perfect is one word for it." I muttered, but Mom either didn't get my meaning or chose to ignore it. I was looking at the house itself. It was actually fairly large, with the top story being a large master bedroom, bathroom and small living room. It was white weatherboard, and the paint was chipping a little, although it added to the rustic feel it gave out. There was a large bay window out the front, which looked in on the lounge room. Beside the house on either side were large trees, and along the edges of the house were planted neat rows of flowers. All in all it looked exactly like a country home should. No wonder my parents loved it!  
  
The moving van rumbled up the drive behind us, and Mum and I got out to help them direct things into the right rooms. It seemed like they were quite quick, but when they'd finished I realised they'd been there for a few hours, and it was beginning to get dark. The rumbling of my stomach reminded me it had been awhile since we had stopped for lunch in another town on the way up.  
  
I went to find my Mum who was unpacking boxes in the messy kitchen and dining room.  
  
"Hey Mum, I'm starving. What do you say we order a pizza or something?" I asked, leaning on the kitchen counter.  
  
"Great idea Claire." Mum said emerging from a box. "Two problems. One, the phone isn't getting connected until tomorrow. Two, I don't think they deliver pizza in the country."  
  
I stared at her. "What?" It occurred to me that we'd moved to a different planet here!  
  
"Don't look at me like that." Mum grumbled. "I told you life was different in the country."  
  
"Different hey?" I muttered. "Well I guess we should go into town and get something then."  
  
Mum glanced at her watch. "We better hurry though. Shops here are open until five at the latest, and they don't open at all on Sundays. And take- away shops probably close at eight or so."  
  
I didn't say anything to that. I think I was in shock. I made up my mind then that after I turned eighteen at the end of the year and finished high school I was going straight back to Melbourne.  
  
Mum got her purse and keys and we went into "town" to get something to eat. As we drove Mum again asked what I though of the house.  
  
"It's nice." I admitted grudgingly. "And my room's nice too. It's got this country feel about it. I wouldn't mind getting a nice new doona for my bed or something to make it look really country too. Actually that's a fashion thing at the moment!"  
  
Mum laughed. "So I'm finally fashionable then?" She asked.  
  
I glanced at her in her old jeans, and dirty jumper and shook my head. "I'm afraid not Mum, but that's okay. Mum's aren't meant to be fashionable."  
  
She laughed again. "Really? Let me tell you young lady in my time I was very hip. I wore the bell bottoms, and mini skirts and was into the whole hippy scene!"  
  
I raised an eyebrow. "I bet you changed once you went to Uni?" I asked.  
  
"Not really. Melbourne Uni was filled with hippies back then. And I did my postgrad research out at La Trobe which was even more so!" Mum replied, as we reached the main street. Most shops were closed, and there were only a few cars parked up and down the street. The pub was open, as were the two take-away shops.  
  
"How about we go the pub Mum?" I asked. "I bet you could do with a nice cold beer after all your hard work."  
  
"Nice try." Mum replied. "I know what you're thinking, and the answer is no."  
  
I wished, not for the first time in the last few minutes, that I was eighteen so I could just go on into the pub and get a drink!  
  
We went into the take-away shop closest and ordered some fish and chips.  
  
While they cooked the woman behind the counter chatted to us.  
  
"Just passing through or here for a holiday?" She asked Mum.  
  
"We've just moved here actually. I'm working at the hospital now." Mum replied.  
  
"Ah the new surgeon, right." The woman said, nodding. "So where are you living?"  
  
Mum told her and she nodded again. "The old Johnson house. It's been empty for nearly five years now, so it's good they finally sold it."  
  
"I think it's gorgeous." Mum said. "And the price was very reasonable."  
  
"Well it would be wouldn't it?" The woman replied, giving Mum a strange look.  
  
I saw Mum frown, puzzled. "Sorry?" She asked.  
  
"Nothing, nothing." The woman said, but it was clear to me that she was avoiding the topic, and then she turned to me. "So, you'll be starting school in two weeks?"  
  
"Yes, I'll be in year twelve." I replied.  
  
"Ah, my daughter's in year twelve too!" The woman said. "If you get a chance before school starts pop in sometime in the day-she works here sometimes for extra money. It'd be nice for you to get to know someone before the term starts. And maybe she could introduce you to some of the other young people round here?"  
  
I nodded. It would be nice to get to know someone! Otherwise the next two weeks could be very, very boring!  
  
We took our tea home to eat, and it wasn't long after that I decided to go to bed. I was tired from the long day, and I knew I had a lot of unpacking ahead of me in the next few days. It took me ages to find my pajamas in all the boxes piled up in my room, but I finally found them and crawled into bed. Despite my tiredness it took me awhile to get to sleep. The country was so quiet! I was used to cars, and noise! And there was something about the house-I guess because it was new-which made me reluctant to close my eyes and sleep. Eventually though I fell into a deep sleep. 


	2. The first night, and some interesting ne...

TWO:  
  
I slept in the next morning, so that when I finally got up Mum had already been up for a few hours unpacking boxes in the lounge room. Seeing her there surrounded by boxes made me feel guilty.  
  
"Why didn't you wake me Mum?" I asked.  
  
"I looked in on you and you were dead to the world. I didn't have the heart to wake you." Mum admitted.  
  
"I'll just grab a coffee and then I'll be in to help you." I promised her.  
  
Ten minutes later I was seated on the floor unpacking boxes of knick- knacks. I hadn't realised until the move how much "stuff" we had. Luckily Dad would be arriving sometime today and he would be more than willing to help unpack. I was pretty impressed with the amount of junk I personally had managed to get rid of when I was packing up my old room, and I knew if I hadn't got rid of as much I would still be unpacking things now, instead of being almost done!  
  
"How did you sleep last night Claire?" Mum asked suddenly.  
  
"Not bad. It took me awhile to get to sleep. And I was actually cold during the night, but I don't know why since it was such a warm night!" I said.  
  
"Cold?" Mum repeated surprised. "I'll have to get your father to look and see whether there is a draft or something in your room."  
  
We got back to our unpacking, and soon enough everything in the lounge room was unpacked and organized. Mum looked around triumphantly. "There! It looks like home now, doesn't it?"  
  
"It does." I admitted. "And you know some of these furnishings really suit this room!"  
  
Mum smiled. "I'm going to get a glass of cold water, want one?"  
  
"Do we have any lemonade instead?" I asked.  
  
"You know we don't. We'll have to go into town this afternoon and get some shopping done." Mum said, and she started to walk down the passage to the kitchen, when the doorbell rang. "Claire can you get that? It'll be the man to put the phone on!"  
  
I sighed, and pushed my hair off my sweaty face. I went and opened the door. Sure enough it was the man from the Phone Company.  
  
"In the middle of unpacking mate?" He asked me, looking at my dirty jeans and top.  
  
"Yeah." I said. "You don't realise how much you have until you want to move it all!"  
  
He laughed. "No need to tell me. I moved up here from the city a few years back myself. Bit of a culture shock isn't it?"  
  
"To say the least." I admitted, thinking of the main street. "I'm not sure what I think of it yet though.."  
  
"You'll get used to it up here." He assured me. "Once you get to know people of your own age too. Anyway, I better get this phone working for you. I'm sure you want it on when the nearest neighbor is about a fifteen- minute walk and a few minutes in the car don't you? Although I have to admit I am surprised someone finally bought this place."  
  
"You are?" I asked, surprised myself. "I have to admit I'm dubious about living in the country and all, but the house itself is quite nice looking!"  
  
  
  
"I meant it being the old Johnson house and all." The man explained.  
  
I raised an eyebrow. That was the second time I'd heard our new place called that, and I wondered why. "What do you mean?" I asked.  
  
"Sorry." The man said. "I didn't realise you didn't know."  
  
"Didn't know what?" I demanded.  
  
"Nothing." He replied, but he said it in the same tone as the lady in the take-away shop yesterday when she'd said there was no reason for the place being cheap, despite expressing no surprise at the fact that it was cheap!  
  
I frowned, and put my hands on my hip. I was about to demand an explanation when Mum arrived on the scene looking harried. "Claire!" She admonished me. "What are you standing out here chatting for? You know the man's got work to do!"  
  
"It's okay mate." The man said to Mum. "So, where is the main phone being placed?"  
  
"Claire while I show him do you think you could start unpacking the study boxes?" Mum asked.  
  
I shrugged, and went into the small room we were planning on using as a study. Not long later I heard the phone ringing, as the phone man tested it to make sure it worked. And then I heard Mum thanking him, and him leaving.  
  
  
  
Mum came in then. "You look tired." She said to me.  
  
I had to admit I was.  
  
"Fancy a trip into town then? I want to go to the supermarket, and you could see whether that woman's daughter is working in the take-away shop?" Mum said.  
  
I jumped at the chance to get away from the unpacking, and go into the town, despite it being so small, and almost dead the night before. "Sure!"  
  
*****  
  
Mum went into the supermarket and I went into the take-away shop to see whether the girl was working. The woman from the night before was working again. She smiled at me. "Hello, how was your first night?" She asked.  
  
"Not bad. I slept a little funny, but that's to be expected. And my room seemed to be colder than the rest of the house. Mum thinks maybe there is a draft or something." I said.  
  
"A draft?" The woman repeated. "And which room is yours?"  
  
I told her, and a funny look came over her face, but before she could say anything else a girl about my age came into the shop. "Hi Mum, could you chuck some chips on for Kelly, Lisa and me?"  
  
"Okay." Her Mum replied, and then she said "Shelly this is Claire-she's just moved here and she'll be in your year this year."  
  
Shelly grinned at me. "Where did you move here from?" She asked.  
  
"Melbourne." I replied.  
  
She looked at me strangely. "You moved up here from Melbourne? Are you mad?"  
  
"Mum got a transfer. She's a surgeon." I replied. "But I agree with you. I miss Melbourne already!"  
  
She laughed. "Hey, come and meet my friends while the chips cook. Unless you've got something to do?"  
  
"No, I've got nothing to do." I said, and I went with her outside to where her friends were sitting. Shelly introduced us all.  
  
"So where are you living? Are you a townie or a country?" The girl called Lisa asked me.  
  
"A what?" I asked, confused.  
  
"A townies someone who lives in here, a country is someone who lives out of the town, on one of the highways. Or even further away, like Eildon or something." Shelley explained.  
  
"Oh okay." I said, mentally agreeing with the phone man who told me it was a culture shock out here. "I'm a country. We live in-well people call our place the old Johnson place?"  
  
The three girls exchanged a look, and I felt a shiver run down my spine.  
  
"I thought that was still empty." Kelly said, her voice strange. "I wonder whether Paul knows about someone moving in there. He hasn't mentioned it to me."  
  
"Why should he care?" Lisa demanded. "It's been two years, and he's your boyfriend now. I'm sure he doesn't even think about her!"  
  
Shelley noticed the look of confusion on my face. "I don't want to be the one to tell you this Claire, but if I don't someone will I am sure. The Johnson family lived there up until about two years ago, and then they sold it because they couldn't bear to live there anymore. They had two children, Andrea and Craig. Andrea was two years older than we were, and Craig was about three years older or so. I didn't really know Craig-he worked at the pub and was studying by correspondence for a University course. Andrea though, we all knew. She was the nicest girl. Very sweet, very friendly. She never made us feel like we were only little kids or anything. And she and Paul were the perfect couple. Anyway Andrea was killed in her room, and they still don't know who did it. It was a mystery, and it was also a tragedy! Her Mum found her, and she was never the same afterwards. The only suspect was Sam-her ex. He worked in the pub with Craig, he still does actually. When Andrea dumped him to go out with Paul he was pretty cut up about it. But he had a watertight alibi. So it went unsolved."  
  
I felt my heart begin to race. No wonder our place was so cheap, and no wonder everyone called it "the old Johnson house" with a strange note in their voice! I wondered whether or not Mum knew this?  
  
"But that's all in the past." Lisa assured me.  
  
"Right." I agreed, giving her a weak smile. It may have been in the past but the idea of a murder having occurred in my very own house freaked me out a little. Before I could really digest the information I saw Mum calling to me. She'd obviously finished her shopping.  
  
"That's my Mum calling me, so I better get going." I said, standing up.  
  
"Sure thing. Listen on the weekend we're having a end of holidays party if you want to come." Shelley offered.  
  
"I'd love to!" I said. I liked the idea of getting to know some more people before the school term began in two or so weeks.  
  
"Well I'll give you a call and let you know the details." Shelley said. "Did they change the phone number or keep the old one, do you know?"  
  
I frowned, trying to remember. "They kept the old one." I finally said.  
  
"Okay, well I'll speak to you soon." Shelley said.  
  
I nodded, and smiled at them all. "It was nice to meet you all." I said.  
  
Lisa nodded back and smiled, and Kelly said "You too."  
  
I hurried over to Mum, who smiled at me. "Friends already? It didn't take you long. I told you that you'd fit in!"  
  
"They all seem nice enough." I said. "They're going to a party on the weekend for the end of the holidays, and Shelley is going to call me with the details."  
  
"A party already?" Mum looked impressed. "Good stuff Claire!"  
  
As we drove home I thought about what they had told me. Poor Andrea! Getting murdered in her very own house. No wonder her family had sold the place. Mum didn't seem to notice that I was quieter than usual. As we pulled up the driveway I noticed Dad's truck out the front. But looking at the house now that I knew all I knew it didn't look so nice. In fact, it looked scary. I shook my head as I got out of the car to clear my thoughts. Thinking the place looked scary just because I knew what had happened in it now was stupid! It looked the same as it had before we went into town. I went inside to greet Dad, trying vainly to keep the thought of the murder out of my mind. 


	3. Settling in

THREE:  
  
"So what do you think?" Dad asked me later that evening. "Are you going to like living in the country?"  
  
I thought for a moment. "Well it's certainly different from the city..." I looked around. We were sitting on the porch out the back, having just finished a barbecue tea. It was a warm night, and the sun was beginning to set. I still wasn't completely used to the silence, but at that moment I didn't think that I had ever been somewhere so peaceful and relaxing.  
  
"That's for sure!" Dad agreed.  
  
"But it's got something about it-it's own charm." I admitted. "And I've already met some of the girls here as you know, so it's not like I'm going to be all alone when we start school in a few weeks."  
  
Mum smiled at us. "I'm glad things are working out. I was so nervous they wouldn't. Now all I've got to worry about is starting work next Monday!"  
  
"I'm sure you'll be fine." Dad said loyally. "You'll be the best doctor in the whole area!"  
  
I sighed, and got to thinking about what I'd learnt that day. "The old Johnson house" was our house, and in our house a young girl had been brutally murdered. Even worse they didn't ever find out who did it! My opinion on the house being pretty had changed a little now I knew of its dark history! But, I told myself firmly, there was no need for overreacting.  
  
"Hey Claire?" Dad asked.  
  
"Yeah?" I said, jolted back to the present by his voice.  
  
"How'd you feel about a trip back to Melbourne on Sunday? I've got to go back to do a few things.." Dad asked.  
  
"Um sure." I agreed, thinking that it would be nice to get back to the city even if it was only for a few days. At heart I'd always be a city girl I knew only too well.  
  
*****  
  
I went to bed early again that night, still getting used to the country air Mum had claimed with a big smile. I got ready for bed, and climbed in and closed my eyes. And then I just lay there. I couldn't get to sleep no matter how much I tried, and how tired I had been. Eventually I threw the covers off, and got up and got a book to read. Whilst I was reading it I fell asleep.  
  
I don't know how long I slept for, but I woke up freezing, despite the fact that my doona cover was covering most of my body. I shivered, and sat up. The lamp was still on since I'd been using it to read, and it cast shadows about the room. For some reason I felt as if someone were watching me, and I shivered again-this time more out of fright than anything else. I took a few deep breaths and then felt better.  
  
"Stupid girl." I said out loud. "You wouldn't be acting like this if you hadn't found out about Andrea this afternoon."  
  
I settled back into my bed, and closed my eyes. But I left the lamp on.  
  
*****  
  
The next day we pretty much finished unpacking. The place now looked cozy and homey, but the fact that I knew what had happened there made it seem less so to me. Later that day I cornered Mum and asked her whether she knew why the house had been so cheap?  
  
"I think it was because they really wanted to sell it. According to the real estate lady they moved away from the area two years ago, and were getting a bit desperate about selling it. Besides that houses out in the country are a lot cheaper than back in the city." Mum explained. "Why do you ask?"  
  
"Oh no reason." I said as casually as I could, but Mum wasn't convinced. Her eyes narrowed, but before she could say anything Dad was calling me from inside the house.  
  
"Claire! Phone! Someone called Shelley?" He yelled.  
  
I got up and went inside to the phone. "Hi?"  
  
"Hi! How's the unpacking coming along?" Shelley asked me.  
  
"Good, we're pretty much done. We're working on getting the outside cleared up a bit. The garden needs a bit of work."  
  
"Yeah, well it would after a few years wouldn't it?" Shelley said logically. "Listen Claire I was thinking about what I told you yesterday. I don't know that it was the best idea for me to tell you that kind of thing."  
  
"If you hadn't someone else would have. And who knows, they might not have been so nice about it. And I was getting a bit annoyed by the little comments about the "old Johnson house" anyway!" I told her. "So relax, it's cool."  
  
She laughed. "That's okay then. As long as I didn't give you nightmares."  
  
Thinking back to my strange night I felt a little scared. But I was sure it was only my imagination being overactive again. "No nightmares." I assured her.  
  
"Great. So, are you still up for the party on Saturday night?" Shelley asked.  
  
"Sure am." I replied. "It'll be good to get to know some people before classes start. It's really nice of you to invite me."  
  
"Oh, that's fine." Shelley said, sounding a little embarrassed. "Anyway, I wondered what you're thinking of wearing."  
  
"Gosh." I said. "I hadn't even thought about that. What kinds of things to people wear out here?"  
  
"The same as you wear in the city!" Shelley replied, with a laugh. "It's just that it takes us a little longer to get the clothes."  
  
"So what are you wearing then?" I asked.  
  
"I was thinking just jeans and a top or something.." Shelley said. "It's not a big party."  
  
"How about a denim skirt and top then?" I asked, thinking of my new skirt I'd bought in the sales a few weeks back.  
  
"That should be fine. Now-do you want to meet us out the front of the shop and then we'll walk to the party from there?" Shelley asked.  
  
"Sure." I agreed. "What time?"  
  
Shelley named a time, and I said I'd be there.  
  
*****  
  
The next few days went slowly. There wasn't really all that much for me to do since I didn't know many people in the area, and we'd finished unpacking and were now spending time out in the garden, making great progress. During the days I was fine, but the nights were a different story. I was having trouble sleeping, and when I did fall asleep I would often wake up with the feeling someone was there watching me, and I was also very cold. Mum came into my room one evening and she commented on how cold it was in there compared to the rest of the house." At least it's good for summer." She joked. "But remind your Father to have a look and see whether there is air getting in somewhere." "From where? The Antarctic?" I asked. Mum just laughed.  
  
As Saturday approached I welcomed the chance to be with people my own age, have a bit of fun, and get my mind off the fact that there was something about my house which creeped me out. I told myself on many occasions that if I hadn't known about Andrea dying there I wouldn't be feeling like this. But regardless I couldn't deny the fact that there was something about my room that scared me.  
  
  
  
[A/N. I am not sure whether I'll continue with this story or not. It started off interesting me, but then stopped. I've still got some ideas for it mind you, so I might get back to it soon, I might not...] 


	4. Authors note

[A/N. If anyone is reading this then I am sorry, but I don't know whether or not I will continue with this story. For some reason I can't really get into it like I have with all my others! Sorry.] 


End file.
